


Song of Rest

by pandora_effect



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: 177 spoilers, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 09:33:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30053424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandora_effect/pseuds/pandora_effect
Summary: Wilde sings a song and everyone is happy! -after episode 177
Relationships: Azu/Kiko (Rusty Quill Gaming), Commander James Barnes/Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom, Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Azu, Zolf Smith/Oscar Wilde
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Song of Rest

**Author's Note:**

> My friend gave me this idea, the whole concept of song of rest is so very good and it's a goddamn tragedy that it isn't a Pathfinder spell.

The parallels are uncanny if not terribly sad. Less than a week ago they had been in this same position, around a campfire enjoying each other’s presence, laughing a little too hard at whatever bad joke Carter made because it’s easy to laugh when you’re with friends. Now, everyone is exhausted and eerily silent. Wilde, Carter, and Sassara could chalk it up to, well, death really takes something out of you doesn’t it. The rest have a similar excuse, watching your friends die, even temporarily, doesn’t make for great campfire conversation. Still, they sit, in the same places as what seems like years ago, one member lighter and hearts so much heavier.

It’s a melancholic scene, Carter, Sassara, and Wilde are back. Safe and sound. But it’s hard to be happy when your rescue mission didn’t have a 100% success rate. The kobolds don’t look bitter, none of them really have the energy to right now, but eventually they’ll find it in them to yell and cry and mourn their fallen friend. Everyone is fit a little closer together tonight, making sure not to let go of the people around them this time.

The kobolds are curled up on one side of the circle around Sassara, a pile of protection and a promise to never let them go ever again. Azu has barely let Carter move since they got back, mumbling something about how small he was as he struggles to break free from her hug. She’s sat on a long bench with Hamid and Kiko leaning against her on either side and Carter in her arms as she struggles to make them all feel safe at once when it feels like her ground has just been torn out from under her. Earhart is pacing. The amount of nervous energy that they contain mirrors Cel as they walk circles around the group, stopping every so often to catch her breath and add some more wood to the fire. Cel and Barnes are inches apart on the other side of the fire with Cel anxiously keeping an eye on the kobolds and Barnes’ eyes darting back and forth between Carter and Wilde, taking in everything he could’ve lost. Siggif and Freidrich seem lost. They’ve done this before, lost crew, lost people they care about, but they never expected to get anyone back. Wilde and Zolf, well they’re closer than usual, with a hand hold that hasn’t been broken since Wilde woke up. Nobody, not even Cel, has the energy to make a joke about it. 

The silence is deafening and calming at the same time. The ability to hear everyone’s breathing helps steady nerves until Wilde clears his throat and finally breaks the silence, not with words but with a low hum that seems to coat the crowd in a thick shimmer of gold. The tension in everyones shoulders softens a little as the humming grows louder and more melodic. 

Azu’s for lack of a better phrase ‘death grip’ on Carter loosens enough for him to get up and walk over to Barnes, sitting down next to him in a long overdue reunion. Hamid starts up a quiet conversation with Azu and Kiko, letting Azu ramble on and on about her favorite Campbell novel as both Hamid and Kiko start to drift off on her shoulders. Cel’s hand has moved from anxiously spinning the wedding band on the chain around their neck to resting on top of Barnes’, much to his surprise. The kobold pile is still wrapped around Sassara but they’re less tense, more cuddly and sweet. Earhart stops, sitting down next to Siggif and Freidrich, joining them in recounting old tales of flying ships that are only slightly exaggerated. And Zolf, well he’s always a bit tense but the humming takes away some of the stern glare on his face as Wilde lays his head on top of Zolf’s.

As Wilde continues, the humming turns into words, soft murmurs of ‘come morning light, you and I’ll be safe and sound’ blanket the group and the fire seems to glow a little brighter, almost shimmering gold as the promise of tomorrow shines clearer and clearer. They’ve all loosened up by now, swaying and humming along to Wilde’s song, Wilde’s promise, and even with the circumstances there seems to be a good chance that everything will be alright after all.


End file.
